This is one of the reasons I am so pro-
gun control. They are
fascinating. So many different designs, some look "cool" and are common in movies (eg.
MP5,
Uzi), others are of an older vintage (
Bren gun) or are downright
peculiar (
FN P90). Some are so devastating as to be almost
ludicrous (
MAC-10). But they are fascinating - even to an avowed pacifist and all-round harmless guy like me (yeah, I rescue
spiders from the
bathtub, so what?). I would never think of using a gun in anger against another
human being, and even if my life were in danger I'd have great difficulty shooting a
bullet into somebody, watching as they fell back with perhaps a strangled cry and a gush of
blood.
If they have this effect on me, I damn sure don't like the idea of anyone with more violent tendencies having access to anything more powerful than a rubber band.
The interesting thing is that when I got the chance to fire a military-grade automatic weapon on the shooting range, it really didn't do much for me. I was a mediocre shot, and I didn't get a sense of power or confidence from it. Only fear, that I was holding something that would allow me to maim or kill everyone in sight in seconds. I prefer Counterstrike - it's much safer.